Winter Blend Snowflake for Rainbow Tree 2008

Here is my first original snowflake design tatted in size 80 hand dyed thread from Yarnplayer and DMC Cebelia. The pretty variegated thread is the HDT.

We are on vacation so I have neither my iron or my scanner, so please keep that in mind. When I get home I will do better on the picture. I still have to transpose my notes into a pattern. You might recognize the outer rounds as one from last Christmas. I had tatted them around someone else's design for the middle. Now, it is all mine.

I am very pleased to have been bitten by the design bug and to be tatting my own designs. Thanks to all of you for your encouragement, inspiration and instruction.

Winter Blend Snowflake (1st two rows)

Not finished tatting, but here's a preview. My first snowflake design from start to finish, when I finish that is! Believe it or not, it is size 80 HDT from Marilee. I know it doesn't look like it in the picture, but it is only 1 1/2" in diameter so far. The white is regular DMC 80. I had meant for this second row to be two colors, but somehow forgot until I was over half way finished. I am very pleased with my design and can't wait to finish tatting it and show it off. It is a bit ruffled, but I think the next row will solve that problem.

This will be my first original snowflake for my Rainbow Christmas Tree!

Tatted Heart #2 for the Round Robin

This pattern is by Sharon B. Taliaferro. I printed it from the Tatting Pattern Calendar February 20, 2007. I tatted it with DMC #8 Perle Cotton in off white with a tortoise shell finish button. The pattern called for #12 perle cotton and a 5/8" button. Since I was using #8 to make it bigger, I used a button that's a little over 1". She said she wanted neutrals so I hope this is a good choice.

This was a lot of fun to tat if anyone hasn't tried it and wants to. It tats up fast and is very simple and straight forward. Once you get started, it could be one of those "auto pilot" projects.

I hope the recipient will be pleased!

"English Country Garden Heart" round robin #1

I can't believe it, but I actually designed this one all by myself! It's not perfect, but I'll get there. I have to thank Martha Ess for inspiration. I tatted one of the hearts in her book "Tat's Amore" last year that this reminds me of, but I promise I wasn't copying or using her flowers, as you can tell! LOL I hope she will be flattered.

Georgia Seitz pointed me to a technique called the Bach versus Beethoven method of designing. You either tat the outline and fill in or tat the inside and then outline it. I did the former.

The outline is size 20 DMC Cebelia white dimpled split rings. Then, I just started making fantasy flowers and stems to fit inside. Viola! The flowers and stems are Flora, DMC and hand dyed thread. When I started working on the dimpled split rings and saw that they weren't all that uniform, I intended to just practice a while and then go back and start over. I guess I got carried away!

I am excited and encouraged that maybe I can learn to design tatting after all!

Rhubarb Crisp Doily Finished!

I'M FINISHED! I love this doily. It makes me feel happy, warm, cheerful, hungry and nostalgic all at the same time. I hope that covers it. Tatting with hand dyed thread is the absolute ultimate tatting experience and high up on experiences at large. I am definitely framing this doily and probably redecorating!

I will measure how much of Marilee's thread I have left so I'll know how much I used. All of the thread is her's except the solid yellow which is DMC Cebelia size 20.

I still have to do some major blocking. I don't know how I am going to manage straightening out each little picot, but it has to be done. I can't see putting this much effort and love into tatting a piece and not finishing it properly. I'm hoping once it is gently washed it will be more easy to block.

Thanks to all of you who have watched it's progress and been so encouraging and complimentary. Now, join Clyde and I and become Hand Dyed Thread Addicts!

Snowflake Rose #2 for Rainbow Tree

Here is rose #2. I crocheted the center much tighter, but still in DMC 80. The leaves are tatted with Sulky #12 which has a very subtle shading. I think it gives a much more delicate look to the leaves. Thanks to Clyde for suggesting a smaller thread for the leaves.

More to come. Keep watching!

Two more tatted snowflakes IN COLOUR!

The first one is Sherry's hand dyed "grapefruit" with DMC pink for the rings. I'm going to have to work all of my DMC and Flora threads into my tatting somehow. I can't just waste them and they are lovely in their own ways. However, I have joined the club of "Addicted To Hand Dyed Threads." I guess we just need to abreviate it to ATHDT! The pattern is from Bestitched. There is a link to their website on my sidebar.

The second snowflake is Flora variegated with DMC chains around the outside. I had the,(I think), bright idea to do the block tatting in the Flora. I really like the way it looks. Bill said that it really looks like a flower.

I'm still having fun!

Tatted Snowflake Rose #2 in Rhubarb Crisp

Karl scanned this one in for me this morning, as opposed to my snapshots of the other two. I think the difference is amazing. It looks pretty on white too, but DH thought the black looked best.

I have really been stretching this wonderful thread. On this snowflake, I used DMC Cebelia size 20 in yellow as the core thread for the rose medallion. I wish I had thought of that for the first two. As it is all chains, it really doesn't matter and just uses up the hand dyed thread. (Sorry Marilee) LOL I used DMC in pink to tat the outer round. Tatting it this way left me with eight ends to hide, but I think it was worth it. It only took a little while to hide the ends.

If anyone gets tired of seeing tatted snowflakes, just let me know, (or don't look!)

Snowflake Rose #1 in Yellow and Green

I am glad that some of you talked me into tatting more snowflakes in colors. I like the pink and green better, but this yellow and green is pretty too. The variegated green is Flora size 20 and the yellow is DMC Cebelia size 20.

Tatting these rose snowflakes of Denise Munoz's is so much fun. The outer rings on this one tat up real fast. Of course, I've got the centers memorized and can knock them out pretty quickly.

Happy Tatting everyone!

Snowflake Rose #3

I'll have to ask Karl to scan this one in for me tomorrow. This picture in no way does it justice. Denise Munoz, wherever you are, thank you for these lovely designs.

T think this one is particularly lovely. You probably can't tell in the photo, but I somehow got two different threads tatted in this one. I don't know if it is two different lots of Flora white size 20 or one Flora and the other DMC. The center is a little less white from the picot row out to the points. I kind of like it. It seems to have more depth. Maybe a mix up for the good.

I might tat the next one in a rose color with green points. We'll see!

Snowflake #1 for 2007

This snowflake is from the same book as the Pyramid Orchid motif. It is, in fact, on the same page. "Tatting Patterns And Designs" by Gun Blomqvist and Elwy Persson is the book. I tatted it with DMC Pearle Cotton #12. Fooled you! Not my usual Cebelia. This thread is part of my purchase when Hancock Fabrics closed in my neighborhood. I decided I would give it a try and justify my spending. I'm not disappointed with the results and it wasn't hard to tat with. It's a little soft and I will have to starch the motif before using. The snowflake is 2 1/2" inches point to point.

Now, I have to decide whether to add to my Christmas decorations or tat a doily from a 1960 Workbasket. Decisons, decisions!